Welcome To The New Age
by starrscreamer
Summary: After Zac discovered the girls' secret everything began to fall apart. With Sirena and Nixie gone will Lyla be able to adjust to becoming a land dweller or will she be devoured by this life she never wanted? Can the four reunite in time to save Mako or will the battle be lost before it begins? Limits will be tested, bonds broken and lives lost as a perilous adventure begins.
1. Author's Note

Author's Note

**x**

I know it's been AGES since i've done any work to this story but i've decided not to abandon or delete it. I'll just change it.

Since i've been gone for so long i've lost all my drafts for the initial idea so i will have to start fresh, which really isn't that bad. I've made some alterations to the first chapters but from there on everything will change. Like i've mentioned 1000 years ago i'm merging this story with another idea i've had, also 1000 years ago, and of course incorporating elements from season two, which led to new ideas...You get my point. I'm also trying to keep it somewhat original, so many stories have been written since i've left and i would hate to be accused of stealing another writer's idea. It's not a pleasant feeling.

No idea how many people are still interested in my stories, since i've left you guys hanging so many times before, but i'll keep posting whenever i have the time (change of college = more fiction time!). Hopefully someone still reads it and hopefully i do a good job!

Also i'd like to ask the readers i have left to leave me a review or send me a message regarding the new/updated chapters. Thank you!


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome To Your Life

Welcome To Your Life

**x**

The rain which had been pouring down relentlessly throughout the weekend had proved to be a blessing in disguise. Its presence had forced Lyla and Rita to put their plans on hold, much to the blonde's relief. An informative trip to some private art college in Melbourne (even though Lyla was not even close to being an art enthusiast, she just occasionally doodled stuff into a sketchbook-it helped her relax, cope with her current situation) was the least of the young mermaid's worries. But Rita had been so excited about this 'grand opportunity', 'once in a life time chance', etc, that she had made it almost impossible to shoot down the offer without being stuck by an immense sense of guilt. Therefore the younger woman had no choice but to conjure up a smile and agree with fake enthusiasm.

With a deep sigh Lyla placed her glass of juice back on the desk, still untouched. Grapefruits were not among her favorites. Scanning the room in attempt to stumble across something to ease down the boredom, her blue eyes eventually set on Poseidon. Needless to say the cat was completely unaware of the other's presence, his attention fully diverted towards a ball of yarn which it kept on striking with razor sharp claws, trying to rip it into as many threads as possible. As she watched the furry creature chase around its prey the blonde went through the list of things she would much rather be doing if the dark clouds ever decided to dissipate.

Her time would have been better spent gathering shells at the beach for Rita's upcoming birthday present, maybe Sirena could arrange them into a nice bracelet, or necklace, or…But Lyla's enthusiasm quickly dialed down as the cruel reality slithered in through the cracks of her imagination. Sirena was no longer a part of her life.

Aquata had come for the other blonde a few months before announcing she had been allowed to return to their home pod. The proposition was initially met with reluctance, but, advised by both her friends as well as aunt Rita, Sirena eventually gave in and accepted the offer - even though it broke her heart to leave her best friends behind. The next day she was out of their lives before they were even awake. Lyla could only hope she was happy. It could not have been easy leaving so much behind, especially David. The boy was still too distraught to even meet Lyla's gaze whenever they ran into each other despite the significant amount of time which had passed since Sirena's departure.

She sighed. And Nixie...Everyone knew Lyla and the dark haired mermaid were not the best of friends, always fighting out wars over the smallest of things and agreeing only to disagree. But during their time together on land they had begun to accept and care for one another, for a few days even managing to get along without the help of their peacekeeping friend. How quickly that period had passed…And now Lyla found herself wishing the irritating younger mermaid was still around, even if to remind her through some bad joke how lame she was being now, sitting upside down in an armchair eating fizzy worms and feeling sorry for herself.

A couple weeks after Sirena's departure the pair lost the Moon Pool to Zac and Cam. There was no way of beating the trident's power, even with their Moon Rings combined. So, a distraught Nixie had decided it was time for her to leave as well. It took a few lies and tricks but the dark haired girl managed to gain acceptance into a foreign pod of mermaids. Living as a land dweller just wasn't Nixie's thing and she had been quite vocal about it, rebelling against Rita's rules on numerous occasions and refusing to leave the pool in the grotto. Lyla was heartbroken yet happy Nixie had found a place to call home. It was all that mattered in the end.

Once again Lyla one again was the odd one out, not only in high school, where she had absolutely no friends, but also in life.

Stuck so deep among the dark clouds thundering inside of her head, the blonde failed to notice the rays of sun slipping in through the curtains. Her eyes wouldn't open to acknowledge them, but she was fine with it. After all everything in her life had been a series of unfortunate events ever since Zac discovered that she, Sirena and Nxie had tails. What the big deal was, she couldn't understand. It's not like she hadn't tried to explain to him a million times before how badly she felt and how she wished she could have told him everything. She just couldn't! It wasn't just her secret to share, it belonged to her entire species. And Cam and Evie were not making things better. They were always keeping the merman away from her, constantly reminding him how she could not be trusted. Thank the stars she managed to threaten Cam into ceasing his attempts to expose her. She wouldn't really drown him, he just needed to think she would.

Something harsh, like sandpaper, and wet touched Lyla's nose causing her to lose her balance and slide out of the armchair, landing flat on her back with a loud thud and a crack. In a few seconds a large golden tail took the place of her legs and began flapping frenetically, struggling for balance. She'd almost forgotten one can't stand up on a tail. Only then did Lyla open her eyes, squinting them slightly to avoid the ray of sun hitting her directly in the face. Something fluffy rubbed against her shoulder as it casually made its way around the magazines the mermaid had knocked down as she fell.

"Thank you Poseidon, that was very nice of you!" Lyla's sarcasm had no effect whatsoever on the large animal. Just as obnoxious and daft as Cam, she though.

In return the four legged cloud jumped over her body with grace, occupying the vacant seat in the armchair before flashing the young mermaid a spiteful glare. He was clearly happy with his victory. Great! Even the stupid cat was having a better day, Lyla though as she finally managed to straighten up, holding a hand over her tail. Tiny trails of steam danced off the scales and quickly dissipated into the breeze entering through the cracked window as a smile appeared on the blonde's features for the first time that day. Being banished on land wasn't all bad, with the help of Rita she's discovered some new, very useful abilities, she would not have been allowed to use around the pod. Why? Lyla had no idea.

Her tail dried up just as aunt Rita entered the study, a bright smile on her face. The pop and the numb pain which followed the transformation took her by surprise forcing the mermaid to rub her knees for a few seconds and wriggle her toes to make sure she had each and every one of them. It had been so long since she had used her tail...

"Are you alright dear?" Aunt Rita asked, rushing to help the blonde get back on her feet. Honestly her back was a little sore having hit the ground pretty hard, but instead of outing it Lyla only smiled, nodding as she stood up.

Calling the older mermaid 'aunt Rita' now came naturally to Lyla, not just because the older woman was officially her legal guardian, but because she did act quite motherly ever since the blonde mermaid was left all alone. Having gone through the same experience, Rita knew how Lyla felt. They never talked about it, mostly because the blonde would step out of the room whenever it came up, but that didn't mean they didn't have a silent understanding.

"Good then." The woman smiled warmly deciding to go along with Lyla's lie. "So, are you ready yet?"

"Ready? For what?" Lyla asked, a confused look painted on her features as her aunt began to dig around the drawers of her desk for God knows what. Without pausing her actions, Rita nodded, mumbling an 'uhuh' in response.

"If we leave in ten minutes we can still make our appointment with Miss Fryers from Heather Mills Academy. She's in town until later tonight. I've reminded you all week," Her aunt stopped, having found what she was looking for (a set of car keys which looked almost new), and turned to face her niece, eyebrows raised questioningly and a pinch of disappointment audible in her tone. "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"I was hoping it would just rain through it…" There was no point in beating around the bush with Rita, she always knew when the young mermaid was lying. Probably because she was quite terrible at it. It was truly a miracle how she'd managed to keep her secret for so long. Letting out a sigh, Lyla resignedly headed for the hallway which let to her bedroom.

"Guess i'll go throw my stuff in a bag right now. Meet you downstairs in five?"

"By the _car_!" Rita insisted on accentuating the final word, making sure her niece understood her clearly before Lyla disappeared through the door, flapping her arm in a gesture of half understanding, half dismissal.

Car…The whole time she had lived under the same roof with the woman she had only seen her drive once: when she had an emergency at school and it had rained cats and dogs that day. However Rita had insisted it was necessary Lyla got a driver's license. She already had an ID (Rita having come up with some amazing stories to fool the authorities with) and a phone, went to school like every other land kid, had a part time job (Rita didn't want her moping around the grotto all day after school)…Basic land dweller stuff. And today she was checking out a college, the next step in any normal teenager's life.

"Welcome to your life, there's no turning back…" The blonde quietly muttered the lyrics to a song as she walked up the stairs, hoping the rain would start one again.


	3. Chapter 2: Sisters Of The Moon

Sisters Of The Moon

**x**

By the time the song ended everyone in the audience had gone absolutely silent. None dared so much as exhale an octave louder in fear they would interrupt the singer's melody. As all the others before it this too was about love - lost love to be more specific and the irreparable damage it inflicted upon one's heart. "Beautiful!" A stray voice called out with a little too much enthusiasm as applause began to echo throughout the cave, bouncing around the walls and sounding far louder than they were supposed too.

Obviously they had not understood the meaning of the lyrics the singer thought as she stood, frozen, upon her improvised stage. The widest of smiles was plastered onto her features as she pretended to take in the excitement of the crowd. To everyone it looked natural, she was always smiling, but now the golden haired mermaid just wanted to dive into the water and leave behind the thunder of applause she felt so unworthy of. If only the knew what troubled her heart, how much she resented her audience in that moment...A hand placed gently on her shoulder dissipated any chances of a quick escape. Now she was doomed to standing there, frozen, smiling until it hurt.

"Sirena?" Aquata's voice was a whisper only meant for her sister's ears, as if they were sharing a secret of sorts. "Are you ok?" What an abominably stupid question to ask, Sirena thought as she turned to face the older mermaid.

"Fine."

A cascade of other, more appropriate (and hurtful) words came to mind but Sirena only voiced that one. The smile had faded and so had the applause, much to her relief. It was time to retreat to the solitude of her and Aquata's room and fall prey to sorrow. Mermaids came to congratulate the singer on her performance but she dismissed them all, trying to act as if she were busy to avoid inquisitive gazes. Ever since she had rejoined the pod this had became routine and Sirena was slowly getting tired, not to mention annoyed, with the same old songs and speeches one night after the other.

The first few weeks following her return had been exciting: getting to know the neighboring pod, their home, the species of fish, the scenery...But once introductions had been made there was nothing left to keep one entertained. Except maybe find a dolphin to swim with or a whale to practice your whalese with. The pod had found their new home so far into the ocean not even humans knew of the small island (just one big rock sticking out of the ocean) in which their caves were hidden. She had singing, but it was only worth it when Aquata was on stage with her, and recently that was a rarity. The older mermaid had gained more responsibility within the pod and some nights she wasn't even present for concerts.

"Always fine." Without adding anything else Sirena slipped past her sister, through the crowd and disappeared beneath the waves into the deep blue. Aquata didn't follow. By that time she had learned to respect her sister's need for privacy and, although she didn't fully comprehend it, she allowed her the space.

As Sirena forced herself to push past the segments of the reef, alone, all she could think of was Mako. All it took was a quick turn to the north and she'd be aiming in the right direction. With no stops it would have been roughly a week's swim, give or take a day. Eight days between her and home...And Lyla, and Nixie, and David...So why couldn't she do it?...Probably because her actions would reflect badly upon her sister as well. Aquata had given her word to the mermaid council that Sirena would never overstep boundaries again, or they would both be exiled. Not to mention she would jeopardize everyone's chances of ever returning to Mako. So once again her feelings would have to be set aside for the good of the pod, something she'd forgotten how to do on land.

By the time she stopped it was already dark outside, the moon shining brightly in the center of the sky. Breaking the surface of the water Sirena's eyes scouted the horizon. The only thing they were met with was the moon's reflection. It was perhaps the sole thing still connecting her to Lyla and Nixie.

"I hope you're all safe." Her voice was a faint whisper which the breeze would hopefully carry to her friends' ears. "We'll see each other again, i promise. I'll bring the pod back. They _will_ listen!"

Lyla's stubbornness had rubbed off on her, Aquata used to tease whenever Sirena spoke back at her during one of their fights. The comment always managed to bring a smile onto the younger mermaid's lips. By no means did she mind it - stubbornness was one of Lyla's many qualities. Yes, it got them into trouble sometimes, but it also got them out of it. Just like Nixie's mischievousness. How she missed those two argumentative, stubborn, irritating...**wonderful** mermaids.

"Sirena!"A faint, almost shy whisper of a voice startled her slightly. "It's getting late. We're all preparing for bed."

It was Ruby, one of the younger mermaids from their neighbor pod. For some reason the redhead thought it was her duty to become Sirena's new thorn in the back. She wasn't _all_ bad, but a little too nosy for her own good - had no respect for one's personal space. Every time Sirena needed privacy Ruby followed in her wake, always asking questions about Mako and the merman...correction, _stupid land boy_, who had ruined everything.

"Coming." Feeling a tear forming in the corner of her eye Sirena thought it was best she returned before she attracted a larger crowd (it had happened on several occasions, somehow all mermaids were now her friends even the ones she's never spoken with). "I'll try and fix this." She whispered again before disappearing under the surface of the sea, darting back towards the caves with Ruby on her tail.

The moon shone brighter than ever, its light also accompanying Sirena until she reached her home.

**x**

The standard issue file was standing in awkward equilibrium between the woman's skinny fingers, looking as if it did not belong there. Exactly how the young woman in the fluffy orange armchair across the desk felt like. Her aunt had bought her a new set of clothes especially for this occasion and they were anything but comfortable. They itched like hell, especially around her torso and bottom but she couldn't scratch without looking weird. Therefore the blonde settled for shifting positions in her seat far more often than a normal person would. But she wasn't normal, so maybe it was OK...

The woman with the uncomfortably long nails, hideous shade of green, and a hairstyle which best suited a circus clown didn't seem to agree as she kept shooting quick, annoyed glares from above her fuchsia glasses. Lyla analyzed her in her return as she waited. Gross choice of outfit, and the shoes, they didn't even match! Who had dressed her, the Capitol people? Effie Trinket called. She wants her clothes back...

"So Lydia, tell me..." Her voice was the worst, like claws scratching on a blackboard. How did the windows take it? Nobody's mouth should take that shape, not when they speak at least.

"It's Lyla." Her correction came out a little more rude than intended, the blonde thought as she felt a leg kick her under the table, straight in the flute. Rita must have agreed with that. However, judging by the expression on her aunt's face, she wanted to do more than growl at the ridiculous woman in front of them. "Lyla Isabelle Santos." _Or at least that's my name on paper_...

"Lyla? Oh, i could have sworn its Lydia! Well," Annoying giggle, trying to look cute. "My mistake darling. Tell me, _why_ do you want to study at our school? Honest opinion! Don't be shy!"

_Wanna take that back?_ Lyla thought, reviewing her honest opinion. There was no way of making it suitable for audiences under thirteen. Again her aunt was on the same wave length and gave her another kick under the desk, warning not to overstep her boundaries. This time Lyla had to bite her lower lip to hold back a squeak of annoyance and pain. _Honest opinion, PG version: I really, **really** don't want to be here! _It was all she could think of ever since they pulled the car out of Rita's driveway two hours prior. What surprised even her was the fact that she only thought of the school, and not the entire world as those words passed through her mind.

It had been so long since she had gone for an actual swim, or interacted with another sea creature, that she couldn't even remember. There were the night swims she and Rita used to take on a full moon, trying to make some sort of ritual of their own in the absence of the pod, but it didn't feel right, not being near Mako, near the Moon Pool, so they dropped it pretty quick. Then Rita stopped joining her altogether, principal and legal guardian duties taking the lead once more.

In time Lyla's swims became shorter and closer to home, just so she wouldn't forget how to use her tail. High school life began and brought with it tons of homework, projects and of course recovering almost seventeen years of human knowledge kept her busy. Rita's money issues had forced her to take a part time job, which she kind of enjoyed since it was the only place she made a friend. Eventually she stopped thinking of reasons and ways to be in the water and started thinking of ways to avoid it in her other life so she could actually live it. Her new life.

Deciding she had zoned out for too long, Lyla inhaled, preparing her well rehearsed speech (Rita had insisted upon that in the car in case Lyla found herself at a loss of words - which kind of was the case). Then she exhaled, trying to smile as politely as she could.

"Well, Miss Fryers, honestly, you had me from the start of your presentation in Melbourne two weeks ago..." What followed was a ton of bullshit Lyla had completely erased from her mind by the time the pair left the crammed office. But the woman seemed pleased enough with what she had heard. College was in the bag (even though it was still a year away), so what was next? The blonde asked herself as she walked down the alley, towards the car, hands shoved into her jacket pockets.

"Sirena...Nixie...I honestly hope you two are doing better than i am. Hope we'll see each other again." The moon shined brightly in the sky.

**x**

"Hey bubble-fish! Catch!"

Something spongy-like hit the dark mermaid upside the head sending her tumbling down from the rock she was perched upon. The sudden impact with the water was enough to wake her from the dream state. It wasn't unusual for her to space out (her teacher saying she had the attention span of a goldfish to which Nixie didn't comment back) but lately it seemed to have gotten worse, accompanied by sudden fits of annoyance.

Everyone assumed it had something to do with the fact that she was different from her adoptive pod, her tail being golden rather than the dark shade pink the other mermaids wore. But they couldn't have been more wrong. It had nothing to do with what shade the scales were, they were still scales, it had to to with them in general - the pink tails just weren't her real family.

"Watch it, will you Lyla?"

The other two mermaids exchanged quick glances of confusion before understanding finally adorned their features. _What?_ Nixie would have wanted to ask - but then it hit her as well. Squeezing her eyes shut the brunette tried to shake off the feeling of uneasiness. The last thing she needed right now was to be pitied.

"Sorry Lara! Sorry Coral! I think i'll just...I'll call it a day." Without waiting for a reply she sunk beneath the surface, swimming full speed towards her cave.

Her cave...During her time spent with the Mako pod all she had ever wanted was a room of her own so she wouldn't have to stand Lyla's whining every night. Now that her wish had been granted it didn't seem to have the same appeal. It just felt...empty. For the first couple of weeks every single one of Nixie's returns began with an excited 'You guys won't believe what...' then her voice fainted into an inaudible whisper as she realized there was nobody around for her to share that day's events with.

All pink tails reacted the pretty much the same to news so if she told one something it felt as if she had told all of them. Eventually Nixie just gave up on trying to have an entertaining (not to mention clever) discussion with them and ventured out seeking dolphins to keep her company. Coral was her only actual friend in the new pod, she was brighter then the rest (probably because she too had been adopted into the pod at some point). Of course everyone liked to think they were Nixie's friend, she was the shiny new toy which everyone wanted a turn with. When Lara eagerly volunteered to keep Nixie company Coral grabbed her hand and suggested they go get dinner instead.

The dark haired mermaid hadn't ventured out too far that day, that's how she had ended up spending her evening with Lara out of all pink tails (someone needed to glue that girl's mouth shut!). She didn't even feel like seeking out an adventure like she had done in her first days with the new pod...Things were pretty much the same, day after day. The only excitement they got was when someone spotted a fishing boat poaching for dolphins and they had to chase it away. But pink tails took the fun out of that too. They were so peaceful they even got caught a few times as they refused to harm the people harming them. Nixie already had two strikes so she couldn't zap fishermen anymore. So she just settled for swimming around with the dolphins and warning them to stay clear of the area. Which also meant she had less friends to talk to.

Having finally reached her destination, Nixie surfaced and scanned the walls of the small cave. It had the best lighting out of all! Malia had told her excited when she had assigned Nixie the space. But it seemed darker than ever now as she sat there half submerged and all alone, wishing she had even Lyla there to yell at her for whatever reason. Slowly but surely guilt overcame her. How could she just leave Lyla like that? Sure, the blonde had Rita, but the older mermaid had her own life to deal with as well. Was she ok? Had Sirena visited her yet? Of course not! Sirena couldn't come back! The pod had forbade her to return to Mako, no matter the reason. So Lyla was alone, against Zac and Cam and Evie and basically the world.

Blue eyes darted upwards towards a hole in the rocky ceiling. In the middle of the sky stood the moon, its rays shinning down on the mermaid's face making the specks of tears on her face glow faintly.


	4. Chapter 3: Ghost

Ghost

**x**

The Moon Pool was a few pieces of camping gear lay scattered across the sand but their owners were nowhere to be seen.

Hopefully they wouldn't return too quickly or they'd mess everything up. Getting caught was not part of the plan, not yet at least. There were so many more things to do before that! The most important one: find the mermaid. The boy wouldn't give up the Trident that easily, not without a fight. And a fight was out of the question when one's powers were so weak...The mermaid would have to take it!

But first, catch the mermaid. But how...? How to catch the mermaid? Ah, stalk her! Of course! She had to come into the water at some point, right? But don't scare her! No! Scare her! This way she knows her place from the beginning. The mermaid won't be trouble if you scare her. She's all alone...

With a nod the intruder disappeared back under the water, speeding out of the cave.

**x**

Zac's eyes shifted from one side of the cave to the other, repeatedly, but nothing seemed out of place. Except maybe for the mountains of trash which had piled up since the last full moon; he'd have to clean those up. Despite Cam swearing up and down he saw someone go inside the cave, everything was just the way they had left it the previous day. Even the tower they had built out of Dr Pepper cans was still standing, and that thing would have collapsed the second someone went on land.

Aside for the two of them, Evie, Lyla and Miss Santos nobody else knew about the Moon Pool so nobody else could have come looking for it. Lyla sure as hell wouldn't have come anywhere near the underwater sanctuary, not alone at least. From what Zac knew the other two were nowhere in sight - they'd probably never return to Mako. A slight pang of guilt hit him as he remembered Lyla's distress during the first few days she had been all alone. But it was quickly dissipated by memories of her previous lies. How he had trusted her...

Miss Santos was almost always in school and during her free time she had other duties to attend to - she couldn't have joined Lyla on a scouting mission. To both boys' surprise the principal wasn't even giving them a harder time at school, just treating them as usual - ok, maybe slightly colder but it was to be expected. They had ruined her nice's life.

However he'd have to check if Nixie or Sirena were back, he couldn't risk it even if he was only going on one of Cam's crazy hunches.

"I'm telling you mate! I saw _someone_! Must have been a fish person 'cause nobody else dives around Mako." The blonde boy had surfaced behind Zac, causing him to flinch slightly when he spoke. He didn't think his best friend would catch up with him so quickly, he's swimming skills had clearly improved since they began patrolling around the pool. Rolling his eyes one last time the merman turned to face him. The other boy's eyes darted frenetically around the room making him look a bit crazy as he chased a flock of wild geese.

"Will you calm down? You look like Buster whenever someone drops food on the ground." Zac teased now looking amused rather than worried. Clearly Cam was wrong - again. "You need to stop hanging out around here so long, the lack of oxygen is starting to affect you."

Without another word (he did let out a silent growl thought, thinking Zac wouldn't hear) Cam put his mouth piece back in, disappearing under the water with a splash. Clearly he was annoyed, he wasn't used to being wrong and that seemed to happen a hell of a lot lately. With a bright grin on his face Zac dived after him, zapping back to the boat and leaving a trail of bubbles behind for Cam to entangle into. Payment for making him waste a trip.

**x**

It felt eerie, being back into the ocean after so much time on land. And for the first time ever - frightening. She never thought she'd arrive in the point where she'd be afraid of her own home. Every sound, every ripple of the water made Lyla flinch nervously and look over her shoulder expecting to see him there, displeased, signaling her to return the way she had come. Too close to Mako - the blonde thought as she abruptly stopped beside a larger section of the reef, squeezing herself as close as possible to the coral as if she were trying to be assimilated into it for better coverage.

The landscape was so familiar it hurt, leaving a hole in the blonde's stomach; everywhere she looked she thought she saw glimpses of either Sirena or Nixie's tails, taunting her, tempting her to follow them towards their home. Every time she had to squeeze her eyes shut, count to ten and remind herself they were no longer there. Not them, not any other golden tail. Not as long as Zac still had the Trident and with it the Moon Pool.

How little it takes to ruin a friendship...Lyla thought as she stood there, grazing against the coral, all her senses still on high alert. Now that she had had so long to reflect on it, perhaps the three mermaids should have been honest with Zac to begin with. That would have avoided many useless conflicts. But how could they know what he would do if he knew the whole truth about their world? About the Trident? All they wanted was their family back, why didn't he get that? What if he was in their position? What if he had been the one to lose everything?

A wave of anger rushed over Lyla as she rubbed her sore shoulder. Tiny streaks of blood stained the water red as they rose from thin cracks in the skin. Rita would have to bandage her again that night...As she turned round to make her way back home Lyla caught a glimpse of a tail disappearing behind a rock not two meters to her left. In the dim light she could not distinguish its color...But with her being the only mermaid left around Mako it couldn't have belonged to anyone other than Zac.

Despite her heart pounding so hard it threatened to break loose from her chest and swim away Lyla tried to appear calm, pretend she had not seen anything. Zac wouldn't actually hurt her, right? She wasn't doing anything. Chase her off - most likely. But he wouldn't hurt her! She had never hurt him...physically at least. And she couldn't hurt him, even to save her own life (cruel reality...). Maybe he'd leave her be if she just pretended nothing happened an just headed back to Rita's grotto. Or maybe she had just imagined it, the stress of the physics test, and life in general, having finally gotten to her.

So focused on her rants, Lyla didn't notice the weeds wrapping themselves around her tail until her swimming was brought to an abrupt stop. Panicked the golden haired mermaid forgot her powers for a moment and wriggled around like a fish caught in a net, unable to breathe or think. Just fear. Then slowly her heart rate went down and her brain began to function again. It was just some seaweed.

With a quick flick of the hand she untangled herself from their grasp, a deep frown present on her face. Did someone do this? Or was she just being paranoid and had gotten stuck in some tall grass on her own? It did happen before - she even rammed herself into a rock one night. The map of the ocean's landscape was beginning to fade away from her memory. Oh how she could use one of Rita's headache potions in that moment. Banishing all negative thoughts to a tucked away corner of her mind the young mermaid resumed her swim towards her home.

What she didn't know was that she had not tangled herself into tall grass, not without help at least. From behind a rock someone was watching her, amusement present on their features. As soon as she swam away her stalker turned invisible following her all the way to the underwater entrance of Rita's grotto but did not dare go any further.

**x**

The first attempt at catching the mermaid had failed...Seaweed...What an idiotic invention! A new plan had to be created and set into motion as quickly as possible. Time was beginning to run out and the Trident was still not acquired. The others weren't looking for explanations, they were looking for actions! Something needed to be done...But what?

Going on land...Maybe that was the solution. For a mermaid the gold tail spent awfully little time in the ocean. But how to get legs?...What had that magic? You can't go on land without legs, can you? No...Legs! Get legs then get the mermaid! Gold tail seems like an easy enough prey, she's all alone poor thing. Good! Her pod would have been an inconvenience. Veridia...Veridia would never let the Trident fall into wrong hands. Where was Veridia? No! Not important! If Veridia came then the Trident would be out of reach forever. Mako as well...

Mako had to be destroyed!


	5. Chapter 4: I'm So Sorry

I'm So Sorry

**x**

"Could you please pass me that phial to your right, Lyla?"

Rita asked as she kept throwing ingredients into the large cauldron. When her plea remained unanswered for several good moments the woman shifted focus towards her niece and cleared her throat loudly, hoping to gain some attention. As that didn't seem to work either she finally decided to raise her voice. "LYLA!" The woman called out, pausing her actions to give the blonde an inquisitive glare.

Startled by her aunt's voice the blonde mermaid flinched, her hand reaching out far to quickly to grab the phial Rita had asked for. Her elbow hit a second one, filled with a reddish-blue liquid, causing it to shatter and spill its content all over the kitchen counter and floor. Rita quickly retracted her arm in attempt to avoid the foul smelling drops from staining her skin. But it was too late - several drops had landed on the uncovered parts of her forearm. Lyla counted to ten in her head waiting for her aunt's tail to make an appearance and for the woman to give one of the looks she used whenever the blonde accidentally spilled something on her. Only this time something completely different happened.

Instead of a tail her aunt developed very ugly, and by the looks of it very painful, burn marks in the places the liquid had managed to make contact with the skin. Trying to hold back grunts of pain miss Santos found her way onto a chair and plopped down before the room began to spin at a rapid pace. Lyla quickly reached for a cabinet, grateful she decided not to sleep during first aid lessons that Friday.

Mr. Marsh had explained how to soothe burn marks with things one could find around the kitchen. So now Lyla was frenetically searching for a jar of honey. When she found it she used her magic to blow the lid off and her fingers to take some of the sticky sweet liquid and spread it across Rita's burn marks. Her aunt was clearly still in somewhat pain, but she didn't look as bad as before. Placing the jar on the counter, Lyla sat next to her.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to break it, i..." Her words were cut short by Rita's index finger being lifted in front of her nose. This was usually the signal for 'Lyla please be quiet'. Complying, the younger mermaid nervously diverted her eyes towards the floor and awaited further instructions.

"It's alright dear." Rita eventually spoke, her voice strained as if she had run ten kilometers that evening. "I know you didn't mean it. But we don't have the time to argue about it." The woman diverted her gaze towards her niece and continued. "I can fix this, i'm just missing one more ingredient for the cure. I need you to fetch it for me."

Lyla, who by now had stopped counting spots on the tile and was facing her aunt, quickly nodded in approval. "Sure. Just name it."

"I need a piece of coral. The dark blue kind that grows by the Moon Pool entrance." Rita paused, scanning her niece's reaction. Lyla however didn't flinch, which made it safe to continue. "You need to go _now_. This thing will spread like wildfire when i run out of honey."

Without another word Lyla unglued herself from her position and darted off into the direction of the grotto. It was unlikely she would run into anyone around Mako at that time of the day, diving was not practiced so late, so it was perfectly safe. At least she hoped so. If she were to run into Zac, by hazard - which was also rather unlikely, he must have been with Evie - he'd understand, wouldn't he? ... Deciding not to overthink matters again Lyla dove into the pool, speeding towards the Island.

**x**

The golden tailed mermaid raised her arm defensively, bracing herself for what seemed like an inevitable fight. Startled by the sudden encounter her heart was now racing at a high pace, threatening to burst out of her chest and make a swim for it. But much to Lyla's surprise nothing happened. Not even a faint ripple in the water. Her unwanted swimming companion only presented her with a wide, amused grin, most likely in mocking of the serious - and rather terrified - expression on the blonde's face. Oh how Lyla wished she could read minds in that moment.

Before the mermaid could do anything to capture her stalker a could of bubbles circled her, blocking the view almost completely. When they finally dissipated a few moments later Lyla was once again alone, completely baffled by the encounter and with a high pitched ring in her ears as a painful reminder.

Five minutes prior, while desperately trying to break a portion of coral, she had been showered in clams, sand and seaweed until she ended up looking like a mythical monster in stupid human legends. But when the two were finally face to face her attacker had done nothing. That was beyond weird. Maybe hurting Lyla had not been the purpose, just irritating her. Who the hell knew...Shaking off the remaining traces of dust and seaweed the blonde decided not to overstay her welcome.

Going straight to the grotto was out of the question. The last thing she and Rita needed was an unwanted house guest and she wasn't going to be the one to bring it home. Like all land dwellers Lyla would have to use the front door. But who's to say her rude stalker hadn't already discovered the underwater entrance? The blonde had used on several occasions so her poltergeist would have had the chance to follow her. Or maybe they too had legs...Since she had to return home one way or another Lyla eventually settled on the lesser of evils - the front door.

With one swift flick of the tail Lyla turned and disappeared in a cloud of bubbles, making her way towards the side of the port that was being renovated. By that time workers would have all gone home and the chances of being spotted while coming out of the water were slim to none. The only downside was the fact that she would have to take the bus back home - four stations. If there was one place left on land that Lyla still despised it was, without any shadow of doubt, _the bus_.

**x**

Behind a cliff not to far away, a pair of eyes were watching Lyla, waiting to catch the direction in which she was heading. As soon as she took off so did their owner.

**x**

Bracing herself with both arms on the cold wood of the docks Lyla hoist her body out of the water before surrendering herself to the weight of her tail, landing with a thud on the edge. As she lay on her back, glancing upwards at the stars while trying to regulate her breathing, a thought flashed through the mermaid's mind. _The coral_. In her hurry to escape the scene of the encounter, and anger at her uselessness and confusion, the blonde had completely forgotten why she was out on the reef to begin with.

"Damn it." Lyla muttered just as she felt the familiar dull pain of the transformation. Before she could roll back into the water her tail had been replaced by legs and now she lay in an awkward position on the dock. Good thing nobody was around to see it. It was almost nightfall and Rita was quickly running out of time. "Here we go again."

Just as Lyla was preparing to roll back into the ocean something sprung out of the dark waters and landed at her feet causing her to retract her knees to her chest, startled, nearly colliding with a pole. A few stray drops followed and the mermaid raised her arm just in time to avoid an unwanted shower stopping the drops in mid air. A large piece of coral, far better than anything she could have managed to detach, was wobbling on the wood a few centimeters away from the edge.

"Well, odd. Thanks i guess." She muttered quietly as she dried it off before snatching it and placing it safely into her pocket.

Not really expecting an answer, Lyla frowned deeply - confused - when someone actually muttered an 'You're welcome' from under the dock, right before the sound of a tail splashing as it disappeared under the water. Scurrying upwards, trying not to trip and fall, the blonde took off into the direction of the bus station and didn't look back until there was a glass between her and the view.

**x**

Slamming her shoulder against the cold metal of the front gate Lyla used all her strength to push it open. Having memorized every corner of the Santos property in her first official week as a land dweller - which now seemed like a lifetime ago - the blonde now had no problem sliding past flower pots and various other gardening objects and finding the quickest way inside the house and towards the kitchen. Her aunt was seated in the exact spot in which she had left her with a cloth dipped in honey and some other odd pink liquid wrapped around her injured arm. The burn had visibly spread and pain was crystal clear on the older woman's face.

"I've got it!" Lyla squeaked in between heavy, irregular breaths. Rita simply pointed a finger of her healthy arm towards a pot slowly boiling on the stove, a nasty odor rising from it.

"Break off a small part and toss it inside. Stir twice, clockwise, and place it on my arm. Understand?" Was all she could voice before wincing quietly, grabbing a firmer hold of her improvised bandage and drifting back into thought.

Doing as instructed, the blonde reached the stove in two large steps tossing the torn piece of coral into the pot. A minute later she was applying the smelly blue paste onto Rita's arm. The woman seemed visibly relieved and had even regained control of her fingers.

"We'll need to hold on to this mix. Never know when it might come in handy." Rita already had an impressive collection of remedies, some for diseases Lyla wasn't even sure existed anymore, but she was always cooking up some new ones. And she did enjoy talking about them - too much.

"Aunt Rita..." Lyla interrupted her silently, her hands pausing their work on the improvised bandage. But as the woman went on talking as if nothing had happened the young mermaid found herself raising her voice surprisingly high. "AUNT RITA!" Stopping mid sentence the other mermaid gave a confused look, mouth half open but no sounds coming out. Giving her aunt almost no time to find her words Lyla dove straight into the subject. It was about time Rita found out someone was threatening their safety.

"I'm certain we're not the only ones swimming these waters any longer. And i don't mean Zac."


	6. Chapter 5: Mistakes I've Made

Mistakes I've Made

(_Nixie centered_)

**x**

"Emery!" Nixie called out, blue eyes scanning the sea of pink tails for their black haired leader.

After failing to gain an audience with her the night before, and two nights before that, the young mermaid finally grew impatient and decided to take matters into her own hands. After all, the worst that could happen was to get kicked out of the pod and since she did want to leave it wasn't entirely a bad thing. Around this time of the day Emery and a couple other mermaids had to be far out at sea keeping watch for fishing boats and spreading the word among dolphins and whales. Perfect time to accost her, Nixie thought as a smile lit up her face.

At full speed the swim was short and in a few minutes time the golden tail was emerging from the waters behind the small group ready to call out the leader's name. Before she could voice her intention the black haired mermaid turned as if she had read Nixie's mind, an inquisitive look upon her face.

"Joining us on this morning's watch Nixie?" Emery asked cheerfully as she gestured delicately for the brunette to approach. "So far it's been quiet. I'm confident we've discouraged illegal fishing."

Nixie shuffled awkwardly into position, mouth half open as she tried to articulate a proper sentence. Somehow all words seemed to have fled her mind, leaving a dumb emptiness behind which made her stutter and look downright stupid. _Oh, pull yourself together! You're not five anymore! It's not even mermaid school..._ The brunette mentally scolded herself before inhaling deeply, giving herself a moment to find the appropriate words.

"Actually, no. We need to talk."

Everything flowed out of her mouth a little too quickly, she tried to voice it all with one exhale, so it tool Emery a moment to process the information before nodding gently, inviting Nixie closer once again.

**x**

Emery sat perched atop a small island of rock, her gaze never diverting from the mermaid speaking. Nixie spoke fast and gestured a little too much for the pink tail's liking - it was a bit exhausting to follow - but she made no effort to correct her conversation partner. Her words were far too interesting.

During the months the golden tailed mermaid had spent with her adoptive pod nobody was able to get her to open up, not completely. Nixie's reason for leaving the Mako pod was confusing to say the least: "We had a slight disagreement so they left me on the island when they went to visit the mermaids around New Zealand." That was all she said, her words accompanied by a nonchalant shrug. Emery saw it very uncommon - mermaids never leave a pod member behind unless they've done something unforgivable. 'A slight disagreement' was not enough. But now that she was finally willing to open up, the leader was more than interested to hear the real story.

"Me and my friends, Lyla and Sirena, we were on guard during one Full Moon, about a year ago, when, out of nowhere, a boy fell into the Moon Pool. Somehow he got a tail, and powers, and we got banished for it. The girls and i tried to fix it but he overpowered us and we had no choice but to back away." Nixie was forced to pause her story when the two other mermaids behind her and Emery gasped simultaneously, sounding both outraged and somewhat frightened as they chattered among each other in hushed voices. The pod leader however did not flinch, only shooting daggers at the pair before signaling them to quiet down and keep looking for trawlers.

Deciding it was best to leave out the merman Trident and the taking over Mako parts, Nixie went on trying to ignore the occasional glares from Vivienne and Matilda. "Sirena got accepted back into the pod, thanks to her older sister Aquata, but me and Lyla weren't. We fought a few days after Sirena left so i decided it was best i left as well, since our mission had failed anyway and we weren't exactly the best of friends."

Exhaling slowly Nixie lowered her eyes, following a jelly fish with her gaze until it eventually went out of sight. Then she concluded her story. "But i'm worried about her. Lyla alone is not much of a threat, even though she likes to think she is. She's just stubborn." A quick smile flashed across Nixie's face as she remembered her friend's determination - Lyla could move mountains when she wanted.

"I have to find Sirena and with her help convince the pod to take us back." But first we need to defeat Zac - she did not voice that part. "Now you see why i have to leave. Will you please help me?"

The older mermaid remained silent for a while, weighing her options. "I will have to sleep on this Nixie. You'll get your answer tomorrow."

Aspects of the story didn't quite add up, Nixie had to admit, but as the pod leader disappeared under the surface of the water she could only hope things would work out in her favor. Vivienne and Matilda were still shooting her vicious glares when they made their exit but Nixie didn't notice them.

**x**

With no places left to explore along the small reef Nixie decided to wait patiently inside her cave until she was called for an audience with Emery. Hopefully this time she wouldn't be forced to take matters into her own hands and barge into the council chamber. The Australian was beyond eager to set out towards Mako - she had delayed her departure long enough. As hard as it was to admit she was worried for Lyla. More than that - she missed her. Sirena as well. The sooner Emery cast her verdict the sooner Nixie would be reunited with her best friends. And let's not forget Rita. On very lonely nights even Poseidon seemed like good company.

Tossing the ivory comb from one hand to the other absentmindedly, the brunette mermaid reviewed her last day on Mako and the fight she had had with Lyla. She'd said some pretty harsh words to the blonde she'd give anything to be able to take back.

_"Oh, get real! I don't need you to do anything! I never did! So stop telling me what to do!"_

_Nixie growled as she lifted her arms in the air in an exasperated gesture, exaggerating an eye-roll. If looks could kill Lyla would have been dead ten times over by then due to the brunette's spiteful glares. Yet she was still alive and well and visibly pissed with her arms folded across her chest as she studied the floor by the grotto entrance. Leaned against a wall, she only exhaled loudly in reply to her friend's remark._

_"That's it? No comment? How pathetic are you? Always bossing everyone around because you're completely useless. No wonder you failed mermaid school! No wonder your mother ditched you with Veridia and made a swim for it! She must have known you'd be no good to anyone!" _

_The words escaped from between Nixie's lips without her brain fully processing the damage the would cause. But in that moment there was no turning back so she decided to lay all cards on the table. "You care more about a stupid land boy than the pod? Our pod! He doesn't even like you! He never will, not as long as Evie's around, so get a life Lyla! Oh wait, you can't. You're such a shark and nobody likes you! You should have left, not Sirena. We'd be better off without you. Your mother surely is..."_

_As Nixie stormed past Lyla the blonde said nothing. Still seething with anger the brunette didn't stop until she reached the grotto pool and dove into the warm water of the ocean, swimming as far away from Rita's house as possible._

It was the last time she had seen Lyla. There was no way of knowing what the blonde had done after, did she try and find her, did she yell an insult back? But how Nixie wished she had returned home that day to find out instead of taking off. The first thing the brunette will do when reunited with Lyla will be to apologize. It would probably have little value but she'd do it anyway.

So deep into thought, trying to come up with an appropriate speech for the reunion, Nixie failed to notice the head rising from the small storm of bubbles on the surface of the water. Coral had to clear her throat pretty loudly, twice, to bring the gold tail back to reality.

"Emery wants to see you." Was all she said before disappearing back into the blue with Nixie so close on her tail one could say she was swimming on Coral's back. The twelfth hour had come.


End file.
